NO FEAR [OPEN]

[tigermillionaire]

Who: Steven and anybody in the Defying Atmosphere penthouse.
What: Greg is rewarded with a slightly used pet child.
When: About 24 hours after the SC concert where he gets kidnapped.
Where: DA's penthouse in Virgo HQ.
Warnings: There is a laundry list of things wrong with this situation.

No matter the intention, the violence of being kidnapped leaves a mark on a person, and that's the lingering anxiety that Steven feels now. He was pulled away from his life once again, as terrible as it might have been. He was manhandled, drugged, and dragged off somewhere else, even as he pleaded, for fear of angering his keepers again.

There was a period of claustraphobic darkness followed by a time where blinding white is all he can remember. And then, suddenly, he finds himself here...a penthouse that is totally unfamiliar to him, and is told that he's going to be with his dad now.

He doesn't know if he can believe it, or what he should do. So, once he's left alone, all he does is curl himself up on one of the couches and wait. He's been dressed in fresh clothing, simple in comparison to anything he's made a habit of wearing - the flashes of pink cracklines are still bright on his exposed skin.

He has no control over anything anymore. He may as well stop pretending.

Comments

[panspermia]

Greg's still kicking himself for his stupidity a few nights previous, waiting for the sign of what's next to come. He'd been too caught up in everything to question Blanche properly, and now he isn't really sure how to get in contact for more information. All he knows for sure was things were about to change, big time. He wasn't given any further warning; he was just told to go about things as usual. So he does.

The last few days have been... stressful, to say the least. Anyone can tell at a glance he's twitchy and anxious, but in all honesty, it's only a notch up from how plainly miserable he's been in the last few weeks.

And then, he walks into the common area, and sees a huddled, pink-glinting lump curled up on the couch.

"St--" Something hot flashes through him, and in an instant Greg's by his side. "Steven!" No amount of promises or claims could have prepared him for the reality of it.

[tigermillionaire]

Steven looks up vacantly, at first lost in his own head. The eternally hazy appearance of his eyes sharpen ever so slightly when his mind sorts out what's going on, though, and he latches onto Greg like he's the first person he's seen in weeks.

There's no makeup to conceal his unnatural marks, now, no artfully painted design on his face. It's just Steven, barefoot in jeans and an oversized T-shirt, broken but present. His breath comes out in a shaking gasp.

"I didn't...I didn't know what happened I didn't know why they...I thought...I..."

He can't get his words straight - his mind is still so fragmented, and the sedatives he's been on for the last while are still fading. He has no idea about anything, anymore.

[panspermia]

Greg practically scoops Steven right into his arms. "Did they hurt you? I said.... oh, Steven."

They've put him through so much. He's had every sort of assault on his identity and agency, and Greg's only dragged him further in. It's the only option they have at this point. That's what Greg keeps telling himself, as he cradles the confused boy.

"I'm so sorry, Steven. But it's going to be all right. We're together."

[tigermillionaire]

"They didn't try to," he answers, as honestly as he can recall. It's hard to grab someone and force them into a truck without being at all rough, but it wasn't like they had caused any damage that wasn't psychological. Luna (Lapis?) had done way more damage to them, but he doesn't say that.

Steven snuggles into the cradle of Greg's arms without hesitation. Despite everything - despite the horrors he's had to endure - the idea that they're actually together...it gives him a sense of relief. Of peace. Like it's the only thing he needs right now to make things okay.

Maybe he just wants to escape from this. Maybe this is the closest thing to a victory or happiness he'll ever have. It doesn't matter.

"Did...you know?" he asks fuzzily. Steven still doesn't understand how this happened.

[heymcfly]

Marty enters the penthouse after a while, fingers sore, but absolutely elated. Nothing like a concert to pipe up your spirits! It was hard to imagine he was brainwashed forever ago. There's so many more things to think about, and the past isn't one of them.

At least, until he sees this kid huddled on his couch.

He's not a part of the band, is he? Marty never got notification, anyway. And he didn't look like a fan. Not from a distance, anyway. If anything though, he looks like he's a little sick. Marty can't deal with sick. If a kid gets sick, he'll get sick.

"Hey, kid. You alright?"

[tigermillionaire]

Steven looks up at him, which just might shatter the whole 'a little sick' observation. His eyes glow a surreal looking pink, as if filled with glittering dust. It makes it difficult to read his expression, but the fear there is evident.

"I dunno," he says softly, folding his arms around his knees and tucking his head between them, as if ashamed of being seen.

[heymcfly]

And shatter it does.

His eyes grow wide when he sees the kid's glowing ones. It's unnatural, surreal. It screams that something is wrong. No, this kid isn't sick, he's hurt. Marty shakily kicks off his shoes, holding up his arms. "H-Hang on. Aah..."

He runs into his room, nabbing a few blankets from his bed and pulling them off, no matter how sloppily. Marty kneels by him and wraps the blanket around his form, before taking a seat next to him on the couch.

"Jesus, kid. What happened?"

Probably not a good question to ask right now, Marty.

[tigermillionaire]

Steven watches Marty hustle over to his room, more confused than anything. Has he met this guy? He doesn't remember. He's here to see his dad, so he doesn't immediately know what context to put other people in - all he's got is the straight ahead to focus on.

When Marty comes back with blankets, it's certainly welcome. His feet are sort of cold, anyway. He clasps his fingers around the fabric, pulling the bundle more tightly around him. A pink crackline slowly works its way up his cheek.

"Somebody grabbed me and took me here..." he says, still groggy from the sedatives. "They gave me something, and I couldn't...stay awake..."

Yeah, so, kidnapped child in your house.

[sailorgenerous]

It's a sundress sort of day, or at least Rarity is hoping it is - quiet and casual, or at least as casual as she ever gets. After everything that's been happening recently, she's ready for a stress-free day.

Which is when she walks into the lounge area and finds a child curled up on their sofa.

Well. So much for a quiet day.

She crosses the room quickly and kneels down next to the sofa, gently laying a hand on the child's shoulder. "Oh! Goodness, are you alright?"

[tigermillionaire]

"I'm just tired," he says blearily, sort of ignoring the whole 'why are you here' aspect as if he's forgotten it's a factor. He does look tired, and he also looks like robot or and alien, given the strange veins of light lining his whole body. "Sorry..."

He doesn't really know what he's apologizing for. He doesn't really know what to say to anybody that isn't Greg.

[sailorgenerous]

"Of course you are, dear," Rarity says soothingly, stroking the child's hair and daintily avoiding the odd cracks of light spreading across his skin. She has no idea what they are and is therefore not about to touch them. "There's no need to apologize. You get some rest, alright?"

Where is Greg when she needs him?

[panspermia]

He's right over here.

"Uh--Rarity." Greg freezes in the doorway, a big take-out bag of burgers cradled in his hands. He knew the odds were one or all of his bandmates would find Steven here soon, but he still has no clue how to explain any of this to them.

"H-hey. This is, uhh." He dares pace in a little further, setting the bag down by the couch. "This is Steven."

FOR GREG, WITH LOVE

[exhumerus]

Sans doesn't even stick around to greet the kid. He just sees Steven in the penthouse and turns around and goes the other way. He doesn't want to talk to the kid about this. He needs to talk to Greg, because whatever is going on here...he feels like Greg must be involved in it, or else Sans would have heart about this from him way in advance.

He refuses to acknowledge the quiet hurt of wounded pride in his chest. Greg didn't tell him about this - does he even know? If he did...

He shrugs it off and moves towards the bedroom areas, while doing his best to not be acknowledged by Steven. Thankfully, it's pretty easy. That kid has been spaced out ever time he's seen him, and this one is no different. He raps his knuckles against Greg's partly open door, the slightest edge to his otherwise casual voice as he calls in.

"'Ey. Greg. What's the haps, pal?"

no need to put the love in caps right... ha ha ha

[panspermia]

There's a pause before Greg answers. The knocking first had him assuming it had to be someone else; he's become all too used to Sans arriving with no warning.

"Sans. Hey, bud."

Greg's smile is tired, bracing himself against what's to come. He knew this conversation would happen sometime. He wants it to go better than he expects it to, but no matter how he plays it out in his head, it never works out.

"I was hoping you'd drop in soon."

[exhumerus]

Well, this is awkward. Sans lets himself in without any further hesitation, and his expression is...searching. That's the more mild level of 'outright judgmental,' which he is capable of getting into on rare occasions. It's becoming more and more common, though - it's funny what caring about shit does to a person's opinion of things.

"That so," he says, less a question and more like a faintly skeptical statement. He could have texted him if he actually wanted him there.

"Then I'm guessin' you know what I'm here to ask about." He jerks a thumb in the direction of the living areas of the penthouse.

[panspermia]

Greg glances back in the direction of the penthouse, as though following Sans' gesture. It's all anyone wants to ask him about. With pretty good reason. He sags and rubs at a temple, closing the door behind Sans.

"I..." No, he still hasn't figured out how to start. He shifts his weight, struggling to find whatever comfortable position will magically make this conversation less uncomfortable too.

"I wanted to tell you, I couldn't think how to... it just... happened. He showed up yesterday. I didn't..." He bites hard at his thumb. "I can't let him go back there, Sans."

[panspermia]

The days since Steven's unceremonious arrival in the penthouse have been... different, for a number of reasons. Different bad, in the constant stress of worrying about lying to everyone, not knowing what Blanche may ask of him, being afraid for Steven's health and safety, and every single thing about his meetings with Anansi. Different good, in that every single moment spent with Steven makes it seem worth it.

They just have the chance to be. No fear of guards catching them together, or worry about speaking too loudly of their relationship, or fear that being together for too long will send people looking. Simply the two of them, doing whatever they want. The smaller the moment, the better Greg can appreciate it.

"Here, whatcha think?" He slides his notebook over at Steven to show off the drawing of a mystic, half-frozen woman in blue. He hasn't bothered with publishing any more vision-inspired work since he figured out 'Quatrine' and the rest were real, but that doesn't stop them from being fun to think about. "I'm brainstorming title ideas. Something like, Frozen Promise."

[tigermillionaire]

Steven has been doodling too, and while his current mental state seems to make his drawing a little strange, it still seems like he has fun doing. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, the bulk of his memory fodder also comes in the form of mysterious and cute magical women.

He leans his head against Greg shoulder as he looks at the new drawing, smiling a little, even as something rattled in the back of his mind about how this one is familiar to him too. He lets his own notebook sit in his lap.

"What's the promise?" he asks, glancing up at his dad. It's an earnest question, but it's also said with the essence of a giggle.

[panspermia]

Sometimes, the focuses of their drawings seem to overlap, a little. Greg's not surprised, but he also tries not to dwell on it too much. They already know they're from the same place, so there's no need to question it further. Besides, Steven probably doesn't know any more than him. Better to focus on right now!

"That fresh pizza's better than the frozen kind," Greg says with a laugh. Well, it's something like that.

10,000 years late

[nibelungvalesti]

"Ah," Meril said the moment she saw the boy, understanding much that hadn't been said at all.

Crossing the room, she came over to the couch. "I am not certain if wishing you 'good afternoon' is appropriate."

[tigermillionaire]

Steven a little more settled in than he was earlier - now is just a quiet moment, more than him being totally lost. Yet...Meril approaching still catches him off guard. He recognizes her from Greg's band, for sure, but...

His eyes are filled with nothing but cloudy pink light as he stares at her, blinking slowly, as if in exhaustion. He looks confused.

"I dunno..."

He curls his arms around himself uncertainly, as if not sure what to expect.

[nibelungvalesti]

"I am still confused on how it is all possible... but I understand you are Greg's son." Greg had been open and honest with her, and she had accepted that. She now extended the same basic acceptance to Steven in turn.

finally tags in here after days

[giglio_madonna]

The weeks have been busy, so busy for Luce, that having a life of her own almost seems like a dream than something that truly happened. If it's not Angel, then it's one of the Virgo veterans putting her to work. When she finally does get time off...

Luce knows, in a way, that she should be taking time off to just put up her feet. Catch her breath. But it's been so long since she's talked with some of her friends. If nothing else, she thinks, she can check in on Meril and Greg. She's polite enough to knock, but someone in a hurry must not have closed it properly- it nudges open at her touch. Blinking in surprise, she opens the door more and can only stare.

It takes a quick second for her mind to realize what she's seeing, and by then she's already stepping inside with the door shut behind her. "Tiger? Is... Is that you?" It seems like Tiger, from the hair, to the general shape, but those cracks...

[tigermillionaire]

Tiger has mostly been chilling - he's been here long enough now that it's almost starting to feel...normal? Even kind of safe, in a way. If it weren't for the trouble his gem has been giving him, and the trouble he feels like his dad has been going through...then maybe this would be okay.

He's not expecting to see Luce, though, despite the fact that he knows she lives in Virgo HQ as well. He pushes himself up off the couch, his eyes wide and glowing.

"Luce...you..." He shrinks down again. "I almost forgot..."

[giglio_madonna]

"Sshh, shh, it's alright." Her brain goes on auto-pilot, making calming gestures as she moves into the room. With her best gentle tone on hand, Luce glances around. It seems a bit empty for now, but that doesn't mean it completely is or will be for long.

"Is it alright if I come sit with you, Tiger?"